Derivatives
by DeeDeeDee
Summary: Yukari is a failure, and George, long-estranged from her, hires an agent to get her back on track. When that agent is Kaori Aso, things are bound to get interesting.


iTitle:/i Derivatives  
  
iDisclaimers/i: Paradise Kiss belongs to Ai Yazawa, Tokyopop, and Zipper.  
  
iPairing(s) /i: Multiple and none  
  
iGenre: /i Drama/Angst/Romance(?)  
  
iChapters: /i 1/?  
  
iWarnings/i: Messy and OOC. Just a spec fic, though. Don't take it too seriously.  
  
iSummary/i: Yukari's a failure, and George, long-estranged from her, decides to hire an agent to get her back on track. When that agent happens to be Kaori Aso, things are bound to be interesting.  
  
iAuthor/i: DeeDeeDee  
  
bDerivatives [1] /b  
  
* * *  
  
A man in full, she thought. Why not a woman in full? It was the title of a book that she had no interest in reading. It was the name of a man who had journeyed through so much, so little. Caroline Hayasaka, she thought. Caroline Hayasaka in the full.  
  
It had been a thought that had occurred to her many times in her lifetime. She, a naturally rebellious child by nature, would have stayed home, longed for a family, if her mother had been the type to push her away. And then the course of events would have been altered, and she would not be standing here right now. She would not be standing here, one hand in her purse, ready to give five hundred dollars for something she couldn't be without. Caroline Hayasaka in the full, she thought, and smiled, since that was past.  
  
And what had George offered that she couldn't have gotten for herself? Strange, honest hypocrisy, she thought, George had really loved her, but could do without her, all the same.  
  
Was it in herself to go on, to present herself to the world every day, even as smoking destroyed her lungs, and within a year, destroy her face? This ageless face, turning brown with burden, grey with lines, flaking, the scalp coming away with her fingers? She wished her mother would have pushed her away. She would be home right now.  
  
"It was a pleasure doing business." The rat-faced man said, his face expressionless, emotionless, like how she wanted to feel. Numb.  
  
But really, was it a pleasure? After inspecting the vials of clear fluid, she smiled again, and left that dank alley, the stink of it, black water flowing down the sides of the building and pooling at their feet as they made their transactions, the sky clouded with haze and gloom, the scent of a human being overpowering the synthetic smells she had placed around her. For a while, it was returning to reality again.  
  
* * *  
  
"It was a pleasure doing business." The man said, and Kaori grinned as she stood up from the chair, looking out the window. It was around eight in the evening, and the city lights were glimmering different shades of white, pink, and blue, as glass and concrete buildings loomed in the distance. She had just managed to save Happy Berry from bankruptcy a month ago, and now she had reserved a space for them in the mall that was going to be opening within the next two years. If everything went as planned, Happy Berry's line would become a mainstream fad. It was the least she could do for Mikako.  
  
"Well." She said, putting her cigarette out on the ashtray provided to her. "I have another engagement, so I'd best be on my way."  
  
"Take care." The man said, and showed her out the door. Kaori took the elevator down, and walked outside. She was still dressed in casual business attire, and contemplated going home first. However, she didn't want to risk going on the metro during the rush hour home. Kaori decided she would head to the club, where she was supposed to meet George in approximately fifteen minutes. A club, Kaori thought, and held back a laugh. Trust George to rendevous there.  
  
The club was not far away and she was not tired when she arrived. She showed the bouncer her identification and edged her way to the door. People crowded around her, drinks in their hands, and everything felt strangely disjointed. A steady beat pounded in her ears and she looked for George, who was sitting in a lounge area. She felt above everything, above this entertaining decadence, as she made her way towards him.  
  
He smiled at her when she sat down on the chair next to him. "How do you like this place?"  
  
"How do I like what?" She huffed, just a little annoyed. She could barely hear him above the music, if it could be called that.  
  
He laughed, but she didn't hear it. "You don't like the atmosphere?"  
  
"Just tell me what you want, George." She said, and he made a flippant gesture with his hand. She realized he was waving to somebody across the dance floor, and resisted the urge to turn around and look.  
  
"Kaori," he said, and leaned in. "I know you're one of the best agents out there."  
  
"Yes, well." She said. It was rare, to receive a compliment from him.  
  
"I want you to give a girl a new life." He said. "I knew her personally; she has talent. I just need you to do your job, bring her back up to status."  
  
"Well, it depends on who it is." Kaori leaned back, and gave him an appraising look. "It's rare of you to look out for somebody else."  
  
Rare, she thought. Like a steak.  
  
"It's that girl over there." He pointed, much in the same direction he had waved. Kaori turned around, looked for this girl. She supposed she was on the dance floor. She saw her, long legs, slender frame, black hair, and then turned back, her face composed.  
  
"George, I can't do that." She said. Her throat felt oddly constricted.  
  
"You can." He said, and his eyes had taken on a distant look.  
  
"George." She said. "Look at her. She's completely crazy. Just from the look of it, how many drugs do you think she's on?"  
  
"Kaori- "  
  
"No." She said, resolutely. "I am not going to waste my efforts trying to put somebody back in the industry when they never belonged there in the first place."  
  
"Kaori." George said. "You've always trusted me."  
  
"No." She said. "I've never trusted you. I trusted myself not to trust you."  
  
"Then what's holding you back this time?" George smile, contemplated her, head cocked to one side. "Think of it as a challenge. Make her successful again. And with you standing behind her as her agent, who knows what places you'll go?"  
  
Kaori stared at his eyes, eerily blue in the dim light of the club, and music sounded far away. She wanted to say, no, there's no way I can do that, but it came out the opposite way. George was a persuasive speaker, full of hot air and rhetoric.  
  
"All right, I'll do it."  
  
* * * 


End file.
